In Venezuela, over 2,000 rioters were detained following the presidential elections on July 28, which declared Nicolas Maduro the winner. Protests erupted the next day, leading to significant clashes between law enforcement and protesters, who vandalized and attacked public infrastructure.
President Nicolas Maduro announced that more than 2,000 rioters were detained, comprising 80% of those involved in the illegal actions. They are being held in maximum-security prisons, Tocoron and Tocuyito.
The protests involved throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, resulting in over 250 police outposts being destroyed. The detainees are accused of inciting hatred, terrorism, and destroying public infrastructure.
Government Response: Maduro credited the military-civil police union for quickly quelling the riots within 48 hours, emphasizing that this time, there would be no forgiveness for the rioters. He mentioned that many detainees have confessed and provided details about their actions and orders received.
While thousands of Maduro supporters celebrated his victory with a rally and motorcycle ride, opposition supporters also held a peaceful rally demanding change. The opposition claims a victory in the elections and has the backing of Washington, which urged the international community to recognize opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner, citing “clear evidence.”
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The U.S. and EU lawmakers threatened Maduro with accountability if he did not step down voluntarily, calling the election results fabricated. Conversely, Moscow urged the Venezuelan opposition to accept defeat and warned other countries against supporting destabilization attempts in Venezuela.
This situation highlights the deep political divisions within Venezuela and the international community’s conflicting responses to the election results.
